Former WR, RB among new Texas Athletics Hall of Honor inductees

The next Texas Hall Of Honor class will feature 13 former student-athletes and one former coach.

The University of Texas announced their latest Hall of Honor inductees on Wednesday morning. Continue reading “Former WR, RB among new Texas Athletics Hall of Honor inductees”

ESPN lists best teams to not win national championship, Texas included

ESPN recently listed Texas as one of the best squads to compete since 1935 that did not win a national title that season.

There have been many dominant teams over the years who just couldn’t seem to close out the season on a high note.

ESPN recently released a list of the top 25 teams since 1935 who failed to win a national title that season. Unfortunately, Texas made the list at No. 13.

It’s a year that’s tough to stomach around Austin, but one that was too impressive to ignore. The Longhorns went 12-1 in 2008, defeating Oklahoma and Oklahoma State while dominating other opponents.

However, a brutal last-second loss to Texas Tech forced Texas out of national title contention. ESPN’s Bill Connelly even went as far as stating that this team was better than the team that Texas fielded in the 2010 national championship.

“The 2008 season produced one of the most perfectly framed arguments of the BCS era. Texas beat Oklahoma 45-35, defeated an excellent Oklahoma State team and won nine other games by an average of 47-14. But the Longhorns lost an all-time thriller to Mike Leach and Texas Tech, and when OU obliterated that Tech team a few weeks later, it gave the Sooners the smallest of BCS formula edges. The two teams were almost perfect equals that year — a best-of-seven series between them would seemingly go the distance every time — but only one could advance, and it wasn’t the Horns.

So be it. But this team was dynamite. Colt McCoy completed 77% of his passes, Quan Cosby and Jordan Shipley combined for 2,183 receiving yards and Brian Orakpo spearheaded an opportunistic defense. The Horns would make the national title game the next year, but this was the better team.”

Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree provided Texas with one of the most painful college football moments in history. If the Longhorns were to squeak by the Red Raiders, there’s not doubt we would have all benefited from witnessing a Colt McCoy vs. Tim Tebow national championship matchup.

What could have been.

Texas Longhorns team of the century: Wide receivers

Longhorns Wire is compiling a starting roster for team of the century, next up is the wide receivers.

Outside of former Texas legends Roy Williams and Jordan Shipley, this was a tough position group to fill. Continue reading “Texas Longhorns team of the century: Wide receivers”

Texas Roundtable: If you could bring back one offensive player

Longhorns Wire staff each chose one specific offensive player that they’d bring back to this current roster for the upcoming season.

There have been numerous talented offensive players attend the University of Texas. Continue reading “Texas Roundtable: If you could bring back one offensive player”

Staff Roundtable: Who makes the Mount Rushmore of Texas football?

With ongoing discussions regarding the Mount Rushmore of Texas football, the staff weighed in on their own versions.

It seems that every media outlet, social media account, or on-air personalities have attempted to put together their own “Mount Rushmore” of a certain topic. There are no shortages of notable names for the Texas football program, so we’re going to jump on board and give it a shot. From legendary coaches to players on the field, there is quite a pool of talent to choose from.

Patrick’s Mount Rushmore

Darrell K. Royal

It is difficult to put together a top four list that doesn’t involve Coach Royal. The stadium is named after him and he brought the Longhorns three National Championships and 11 conference titles in his 20-year run as head coach. The Longhorns were just 1-9 the season the season before Royal’s hire and went 6-4-1 in that first year including an invite to the Sugar Bowl. Overall he finished his coaching record with the Longhorns at 167-45-5 which included two undefeated seasons.

Vince Young

When people think of Texas, many remember the play in the Rose Bowl on fourth down. Vince Young willed a team that many felt would fall to USC en route to their third-straight National Championship. The highest rated recruit ever at the University of Texas provided many memories, including a National Championship that immortalized Young at Texas.

Jeff Lewis-USA TODAY Sports

Mack Brown

The Texas Longhorns hadn’t won a National Title since 1970, when Mack Brown came to town it changed a lot for the Longhorns. During his tenure, Mack led the Longhorns to nine-straight seasons with double digit wins. Two National Championship appearances and one championship. While at Texas, Mack won 158 games putting him just nine short of Royal’s mark.

Earl Campbell

It would be an incomplete Mount Rushmore without Earl Campbell. The Tyler Rose won the Heisman Trophy in 1977 when he rushed for 1,744 yards and 18 touchdowns. It was the first time a Longhorn had won the trophy. Overall, Campbell finished with 4,443 yards and 40 touchdowns. His rushing yards total was the best in school history until Ricky Williams came along. Still the 3rd highest in school history behind Williams and the late Cedric Benson.

Texas Football: Top games to rewatch during quarantine

We’ve compiled a list of the best Texas football games to relive during the quarantine.

Do you miss watching Texas sports?

While there are no live sporting events present on our televisions due to the Coronoavirus (COVID-10) outbreak, we’ve compiled a list of the best Texas Longhorns football games to relive during the quarantine.

Other than the 2006 Rose Bowl where quarterback Vince Young scrambled for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to defeat the University of Southern California, it’s tough to rank the most exciting outcomes when there are many to choose from.

Here are just a few of our favorites.

Texas Longhorns Duo Leave Austin On A High Note

The wide receiver tandem of Collin Johnson and Devin Duvernay finish their Texas Longhorns careers on a high note.

Throughout the 2019 college football season, it was clear that the duo of Devin Duvernay and Collin Johnson were a talented duo at wide receiver. Unfortunately for the Texas Longhorns they were both dealing with injuries this year, Johnson lost half of his games during the year but both were in uniform for their 38-10 thrashing of the Utah Utes in San Antonio.

The Longhorns duo will now focus on life after Austin as they will embark on the journey to make a name for themselves in the NFL. The Reese’s Senior Bowl week get’s started on Monday January 20th. There will be a whole week where they will get to work with NFL coaches plus meetings with NFL teams as they prepare for the biggest job interview of the offseason.

The Longhorns will now look to Brennan Eagles and Jake Smith to fill the void left by Johnson and Duvernay after four years on the Forty Acres. The 6’4″ Eagles took on a much larger role in 2019 due to Johnson’s injuries with 32 receptions for 522 yards and six touchdowns. He will look to be the focal point at receiver next season. Freshman Jake Smith who also finished with six receiving touchdowns. The offense looks to be in good hands with the young duo who look to replace 1,945 yards and 12 touchdowns from this offense.

Happy Birthday to Two Longhorn Legends

Jordan Shipley and Quan Cosby shared the field to make one of the best receiving cores in UT history. They also share the same birthday.

Not only did Jordan Shipley and Quan Cosby share the field to make up one of the greatest receiving cores in Longhorn history, but they also share the same birthday. Cosby turns 37 years old today, while Shipley turns 32.

The two player’s best season came in 2008 with potential Hall of Fame quarterback Colt McCoy. Cosby led the team in receptions and receiving yards, while Shipley had more touchdowns. Between the two of them, they had a combined 181 receptions, 2,183 receiving yards, and 21 touchdowns in 2008.

One of Shipley’s best moments at Texas came in the 2008 Red River Shootout. Down 11 early in the second quarter, Shipley returned a kick off for a touchdown, giving the Longhorns a spark in the game. Texas went on to win 45-35, securing their third victory over Oklahoma in four years.

After Texas was left out of the Big 12 and National Championship later in the 2008 season, they were set up with Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. Losing 21-17 and driving with under 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Cosby came up huge for the Longhorns. Running across the middle of the field from the slot, McCoy found Cosby, who broke free and dove into the end zone to secure another BCS bowl victory for Texas.

Both had short careers in the NFL and are now retired. Both Cosby and Shipley are in the top five in career receptions, career receiving yards and career receiving touchdowns at Texas. Two of the best to ever do it for the Longhorns, we wish both of them a very happy birthday!

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Throwback Thursday: Texas vs Texas Tech 2009

In 2009, Texas was looking for revenge against Texas Tech. Let by some good defense, the Longhorns were able to do that with a 34-24 win.

To open Big 12 play in 2009, Texas hosted Texas Tech in what was a revenge game from the year before. In 2008, the Red Raiders beat the Longhorns, giving them their only loss of the season. This year, Texas made sure they would not come in their way of a perfect season.

Ranked No. 2 in the country, Texas was led offensively by quarterback Colt McCoy and wide receiver Jordan Shipley. The two connected 11 times for 73 yards. Shipley also returned a first-quarter punt 46 yards to give Texas a 7-3 lead.

Hunter Lawrence kicked a field goal in the first minute in the second quarter and that was the only scoring of the first half. Texas went into the locker room winning 10-7.

The second half was the opposite of the first, with each team finding their rhythm on offense. The first four drives in the half had four touchdowns, two for each team. Running backs Tre Newton and Cody Johnson found the endzone for Texas, while Texas Tech quarterback Taylor Potts found wide receiver Lyle Leong twice to make it 24-17 in favor of the Longhorns.

With the good, also came the bad. The four drives after the scores were a Texas punt, Potts interception, McCoy interception, and a Sergio Kindle strip-sack on Potts. After the fumble, the Longhorns finally took advantage of a turnover, as McCoy found wide receiver Dan Buckner for a three-yard score.

The Red Raiders responded with another Taylor Potts touchdown, but Texas was able to ice the game with a nine-play, 50-yard drive that ended in a Lawrence field goal to give the Longhorns a 34-24 lead. Texas forced a turnover on downs and got their revenge against Texas Tech.

While Potts’ 420 yards was the most the Longhorn defense allowed all year, Texas held Texas Tech to -6 yards on the ground. They also forced five fumbles, but only recovered two of them. Add an interception and the Longhorns forced three turnovers.

Colt McCoy had one of his worst days of the regular season, throwing his only multiple interception game. Tre Newton led the team in rushing, having 88 yards on 20 carries.

This game started a six-game winning streak in the series for the Longhorns. Tomorrow’s matchup will make it a decade since this matchup and Texas has gone 8-2 in those 10 games. With a win tomorrow, they can keep that 8-2 record in the 2010s.

Texas will face Texas Tech on Friday at 11:00 a.m. on Fox.

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